Movie Review | Film Is A Heartwarming Goodbye To Boseman
Although rarely seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the late Chadwick Boseman is never forgotten when we see the credit he deserves — and the character he played. closer - and a satisfying superhero-rich story.
Dedicated to the star of the 2018 cultural phenomenon Black Panther, who died in 2020 after a deeply personal battle with colon cancer, Wakanda Forever opens with Wakanda's genius daughter Shuri (Letitia Wright) unable to use all of her knowledge, abruptly. edge - modern technology and even a prayer to save his brother, King T'Challa, from an unknown disease.
Soon we attended the funeral, where tears streamed down their faces. Then there is a great joyous celebration of the King's life, followed by an even more heartfelt cry as Shuri bids farewell to T'Challa's coffin.
At the end of the day, "Wakanda" Forever is Shuri's story.
Returning director Ryan Coogler and other decision-makers at Marvel Studios wisely chose not to reprise the role of T'Challa in this latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
And the king's death leaves Wakanda - a fictional African nation rich in vibranium, a highly sought-after resource, an extremely powerful metal with another unusual quality - without its super-powered bodyguard, the Black Panther.
This upsets Wakanda's new leader, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett, Mission: Impossible - Fallout ), more than her daughter.
"The Black Panther is a relic," Shuri told him, still harboring a strong anger at the outside world a year after his brother's death.
But as other countries step up their efforts to steal the country's vibranium, an even greater threat is emerging.
Ramonda and Shuri are visited by Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejia), the king of the hidden underwater kingdom of Tolokan, who has taken over Atlantis for MCU purposes. He enlists Wakanda's help in kidnapping an American scientist who developed vibranium sensing technology. When Ramonda refuses, Namor, who, unlike those under his control, can fly with wings on his shins and breathe air, and is believed to be a god, promises to return to Wakanda with a powerful, devastating attack.
Since he clearly managed to get past Wankanda's surrounding defenses, Namor should be taken seriously. However, Ramonda and Shuri have little interest in betraying the scientist, who turns out to be 19-year-old MIT student Riri Williams (Dominic Thorne, "Judas and the Black Messiah"), whose intellect can match Shuri's.
The adventure begins in earnest after Shuri and Akoye (Danai Gurira, The Walking Dead), the leader of Wakanda's barbaric force, the Dora Milaje, visit Riri in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The young woman had no idea of the adventures that awaited her.
And while Akoye and one of Namor's descendants engage in exciting street spear fights, most of the exciting action in "Wakanda Forever" comes as Shuri and Namor spend time in the latter's kingdom, getting to know each other and hoping to come to a diplomatic solution for their two kingdoms.
Written by Coogler and his Black Panther co-writer Joe Robert Cole, Wakanda Forever struggles a bit with the storyline until all the obligatory action sequences take over, which isn't surprising considering Wakanda Forever is behind it. the two and a half hour mark.
However, to the talented Coogler's credit (Fruitvale Station, Creed), even as we see Wakanda suffer from an epic water attack, the film never strays from its emotional center.
Most of the returning characters, including Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave ), help with this as the cast conveys an incredible sense of loss for their characters while also looking to an uncertain future. .
Even M'Baku (Winston Duke, "Us"), the physically imposing and brutal ruler of Wakanda's remote mountainous Jaboriland, has developed a bit.
Another returning actor, Martin Freeman (The Hobbit trilogy) also adds something extra as Everett Ross, a CIA agent who owes his life to Shura and holds Wakanda in high esteem. .
Meanwhile, Namor is a better villain on paper than he is on screen, in part because Mexican actor Huerta (Narcos: Mexico, The Eternal Purge) lacks something here. Namor wasn't just there to rule the planet—he wanted to protect his kingdom more than anything, and if that meant destroying the world above, so be it—which made him an above-average villain, but it wasn't everything. . very interesting when on the screen.
Also, we get a very serious performance from Wright (The Silent Twins, Black Mirror) as he begins his work at the heart of the franchise. Still, the actress has her moments and is an asset to what is, after all, a social cause.
To that end, look forward to a pleasant surprise or two, one of which is the key to Shuri's character in this film.
Most importantly, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a heartfelt farewell to Boseman. The actor's image fills in the 'MARVEL' on the 'MARVEL STUDIOS' screen we now get after the film's prologue - a very, very nice touch.
And make sure you sit down for plenty of credits before you head home. You will do it with soul.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is rated PG-13 for violence, action and strong language. Duration: 2 hours 41 minutes.
